3716(III)_2015 new Salesian Lay Missionary volunteers coming to the EAO

By Fr. Mark Hyde, Salesian Missions New Rochelle

On August 14, Fr. Steve Shafran, provincial of United States Eastern Province (photo, far right), commissioned 13 Salesian Lay Missioners (11 first-time volunteers and two veterans). They will be missioned to Bolivia, Cambodia, South Sudan, Vietnam, and Florida. The Salesian Lay Missioners is the oldest consistent Salesian organization for international missionary volunteers, launched more than 45 years ago in New Rochelle province. The 2015 SLM were sent off at the end of their spiritual retreat Don Bosco Retreat Center in Haverstraw, New York.

This news come just amidst of August 2015, when the whole Congregation is invited to pray:

“That the experience of volunteer services help young people to mature fully, also in the vocational and missionary dimension” (Salesian Missionary Intention August 2015). The Councilor for the Mission does motivate in this way:

As heirs of Salesian Youth Spirituality, in the month of his Birth, the intention is that all young people who meet Don Bosco may learn live the joy of faith, the optimism of hope and commitment to missionary volunteer service marked by charity.

This invitation comes just three months before the next EAO encounter of Youth Ministry and Missionary Animation delegates in Seoul (Korea), November 10-13,2015. Indeed Fr. Fabio and Fr. Guillermo have chosen as a common topic of synergy in this Sessenium the Voluntary Service for the whole Congregation. There will be gathered in Seoul two groups of delegates with their own agenda, but for one full day they will deepen and discern together about some way forward for our missionary volunteers. Three simple questions were already sent to all EAO provincials and their Delegates for the preparation of November meeting:

What are your experiences with the young people, in promoting Missionary Voluntary Service, in your province?

What are the processes and structures in place, for the formation of the missionary Volunteers (before, during and after their service) in your province?

What are the possibilities and opportunities available for the promotion of Missionary Voluntary Service in your province by the sectors of Youth Ministry and Missionary Animation?

In the strict sense of Missionary Volunteer services, there are not many provinces with programs for preparation, sending and following up of the missionary volunteers. In the EAO region we have few provincial programs that allow the young people missionary immersion - exposure for rather short period of time (2-3 weeks maximum), but the ordinary 6-12 months missionary volunteer services is developed only in two provinces (AUL and KOR). In good number of provinces we challenge the youth with local voluntary service involvement in their own environment and in some other provinces we receive the missionary volunteers from abroad.

Also Pope Francis does mention in his letter to Fr. Ángel for the 200th Birthday of Don Bosco is asking us: “May Don Bosco help you to not disappoint the deep aspirations of the young: their need for life, openness, joy, freedom, and the future; their desire to collaborate in building up a more just and fraternal world, in fostering the development of all peoples… promote the forms of social volunteering….”

We warmly welcome 4 Salesian Lay Missioners from the USA into the EAO region for their year of commitment: Steve and Dan to the VIE province, Colleen and Cara to Cambodia delegation (THA province).